Gun-mounting



A. T. DAWSON AND G. T. BUCKHAM.

GUN MOUNTING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I6. l9l9.

1,352,791. PatentedSept. 14, 1920.

UNITED STATES} PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER,

LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMISTER, LON- DON, ENGLAND.

GUN-MOUNTING.

Application filed December 16, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Sir ARTHUR TREVOR Dawson, knight, and ir Gnonsn THOMAS BUCKHAM, knight, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Vickers House, Broadway, lVestniinster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful improvements in or Relating to Gun-Mountings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mountings for guns (particularly machine guns intended for use on tanks and other armored vehicles) of the kind in which a universal joint device is interposed between the gun and the part which supports the gun and through which the latter projects.

According to this invention the said universal joint device comprises two members having their axes at right angles to each other so that the gun can be elevated about one axis and trained about the other axis. The said members are preferably part cylindrical with their curved surfaces at right angles to each other and are so arranged that, during training of the gun, one of them moves about a vertical axis and during elevation of the gun the other of them moves about a horizontal axis.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a sectional side elevation, a sectional plan and a front elevation showing a constructional form of the invention as applied to a tank or other armored vehicle.

A is the gun, B is the inner one of the two part-cylindrical members and C is the outer one of these members. The water jacket of the gun passes through a central bore in the inner men'iber l3 and may be dctachably secured thereto by means of a bayonet joint or similar means. The said member is provided with a sight hole 7) and with a hole 5 through which the empty cartridge cases can be ejected. The said member B is, in the eX- ample shown, the one that moves about a vertical axis for training and for 'this purpose the outer member C carries two vertical spigots C, C engaging with the inner member B. The said outer member in turn is trunnioned to the support D for the gun Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 14, 1920,

Serial No. 345,443.

by horizontal spigots or trunnions D, D about which the said outer member moves during elevation of the gun, the bearings for the trunnions D, D, being socket bearings to enable the member 0 to be readily placed in position and removed. In the construction shown, the support D is constituted by a framework attached to the inner surface of a circular shield E arranged to close, more or less. an opening in the structure E. This shield is adapted to train about a training spigot or pivot E carried by the structure and it will thus be observed that the gun can be trained with the shield about this training spigot or pivot and independently of the shield about the aforesaid vertical saigots C, C carried by the outer member (5 Although in the construction shown the mounting is provided with a circular shield it is to be understood that this shield may be dispensed with and the outer member C trunnioned to the structure of the vehicle.

By reason of our improvements we are able to insure that a large angle of fire shall be obtained with small openings in the shield or in the structure supporting the gun so that the gunner is effectively shielded.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the part which supports it, of a universal joint device between the gun and the said part, this device comprising two part-cylindrical members having their curved surfaces at right angles to each other and being so arranged that during training of the gun one of them mores about a vertical axis and during the elevation of the gun the other of them moves about a horizontal axis.

2. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the part which supports it, of a universal joint device between the gun and said part, this device comprising two part-cylindrical members the outer one of which is trunnioned in said part and the inner one of which is trunnioned in the outer member and has a central bore through which the gun passes without any freedom of training and elevating movements.

3. In a gun mounting, the combination with the gun and the part which supports it, of a nniversal joint device between the gun and said part, this device coniprising two part-cylindrical members the outer one of which is trunnioned in socket hearings in said part and the inner one of which is trunnioned in the outer member and hes a central bore through which the gun passes Without any freedom of training and elevating movements.

4. In a gun mounting, the combination with a structure having an opening therein, a curved shield arranged to more or less close said opening and pivoted for training movements and a gun sup orted by and projecting through said shie d, of a universal joint device between the gun and the said shield, this device comprising two members having their axes at right angles to each other so that the gun can be elevated about one axis and trained about the other axis.

5. In a gun mounting, the combination With a machine gun and the part which supports it, of a universal joint device between the gun and said part, this device c01nprising two pertcylindrioal members the outer one of which is trunnioned in said part and the inner one of which is trunnioned in the outer member, this inner member having a central bore through which the gun passes without any 'reedom of training and eleveting movements and also having a sight hole and a hole through which the empty cartridge cases from the machine gun can be ejected.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signetures.

ARTHUR THE VOR DANSUN. GEORGE THOMAS BUUKHAM. 

